Controlled hunt in Emerald Isle reduces deer population by 50

By JANNETTE PIPPIN Daily News Staff

Published: Monday, March 3, 2014 at 10:00 AM.

A controlled hunt in the Town of Emerald Isle met goals for reducing the growing deer population.

The town has worked for several years to address the overpopulation of deer, particularly along the Coast Guard Road corridor, for several years and the Board of Commissioners in December authorized a program to manage the population with annual controlled hunts.

This year’s hunt, which involved volunteer hunters trained in using bow and arrow working in designated wooded areas, ended Feb. 20.

Town Manager Frank Rush said the hunt ended after the established goal for reducing the population was met.

The town contracts with a biologist with N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to do a population estimate each fall. The fall 2013 estimate was 159 deer, up from 141 deer the previous year.

The WRC has said the town should strive to remove about 50 deer per year to maintain a healthy deer population.

“The (N.C.) Wildlife Resources Commission recommended we take 50 deer, that is what was written into our permit, and we met that target on Feb. 20,” he said.

Rush said the hunt was conducted under the supervision of the police department and everything went smoothly.

He said the controlled hunts are not something they like to have to do, but the deer population in the town has grown rapidly and is a public safety issue from deer and vehicle collisions, which have increased.

In 2011, there were 12 reported deer-related collisions and 19 in 2012. By the end of 2013, there had been more than 30 deer-related accidents in Emerald Isle.

There are also concerns about landscaping damage and tick-borne disease.

This year’s hunt resulted in a greater reduction in the population. In 2012, hunters took 17 deer and in 2011 there were 11 deer killed.

Rush said all the meat from the deer killed has been donated, with most going to Hope Mission soup kitchen in Morehead City.

A controlled hunt in the Town of Emerald Isle met goals for reducing the growing deer population.

The town has worked for several years to address the overpopulation of deer, particularly along the Coast Guard Road corridor, for several years and the Board of Commissioners in December authorized a program to manage the population with annual controlled hunts.

This year’s hunt, which involved volunteer hunters trained in using bow and arrow working in designated wooded areas, ended Feb. 20.

Town Manager Frank Rush said the hunt ended after the established goal for reducing the population was met.

The town contracts with a biologist with N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to do a population estimate each fall. The fall 2013 estimate was 159 deer, up from 141 deer the previous year.

The WRC has said the town should strive to remove about 50 deer per year to maintain a healthy deer population.

“The (N.C.) Wildlife Resources Commission recommended we take 50 deer, that is what was written into our permit, and we met that target on Feb. 20,” he said.

Rush said the hunt was conducted under the supervision of the police department and everything went smoothly.

He said the controlled hunts are not something they like to have to do, but the deer population in the town has grown rapidly and is a public safety issue from deer and vehicle collisions, which have increased.

In 2011, there were 12 reported deer-related collisions and 19 in 2012. By the end of 2013, there had been more than 30 deer-related accidents in Emerald Isle.

There are also concerns about landscaping damage and tick-borne disease.

This year’s hunt resulted in a greater reduction in the population. In 2012, hunters took 17 deer and in 2011 there were 11 deer killed.

Rush said all the meat from the deer killed has been donated, with most going to Hope Mission soup kitchen in Morehead City.